We’re heading straight into another wonderful Colorado art festival, this one in Downtown Frisco. Our featured artist for the Main Street to the Rockies Art Festival has been a staple of our community for many years, and we are proud to be introducing you to her. Meet copper sculptor and artist Debbie Flowers.

It only took an email exchange with Debbie Flowers to learn three major things about her.

1. She was born with art in her veins. As a young girl born and raised in South Florida to a family full of artists and art lovers, she grew up doing exactly what you would expect an aspiring artist to do — constantly creating, studying art in school, entering contests and winning blue ribbons. She counts her family — a sculptor/poet father, an artist mother and an encouraging sister — as instrumental in nurturing her creativity, but she also recognizes her grade school art teacher, Mr. Hanna, as another major influence in her career. As an adult, Debbie chose to teach second grade for a few years, but eventually went back to creating and eventually became a full-time artist and sculptor, a title she’s held for 24 years.

2. She loves artists. As a copper metal sculptor who regularly travels in the art festival circuit, Debbie loves meeting artists from all walks of life. “Artists are unique individuals,” she says. “We encourage one another, we appreciate each other’s work [and] we are always happy when one of us has a successful show.” She now lives in New Mexico, where she says the community is full of artists and art, “a constant flow of culture, color and form in Santa Fe.”

3. She loves being an artist. Not only has art given Debbie a sense of belonging and a unique perspective, but it has also given her a gift far greater than any award: a close bond with both of her children. The opportunity to raise her two children on the road as an artist and a single mom, surrounded by beauty and by art afforded her the chance to share many experiences, memories and moments with them.

As a sculptor, she’s chosen to express herself through copper, a malleable and warm metal that allows her to express her love of nature and art easily and creatively. She starts with flat copper sheeting that she tools using old roofing methods. She then hand solders the pieces and applies a rich patina. She sands the pieces to bring out the natural copper highlights and seals her work for outdoor use.

Debbie finds herself drawn to create dragonflies, butterflies, palm trees and turtles among other things, and specific pieces like her suns and her dancing ladies, are a reflection of her joie de vivre — her absolute enchantment with her life’s work and the enjoyment and peace she gets from stepping out into her studio and creating.

“So if I love what I do, where I go, and who I meet along the way, then I cannot imagine doing anything else with my life,” says Debbie, “Work is no longer work and I get to create not only my art, but my life.”

Win “Large & Small Dragonflies” by Debbie Flowers!

Every year, a talented artist is featured and one of their pieces raffled off during our Featured Art Giveaway for a lucky patron to take home. Enter to win an amazing work, a set of two metal sculptures titled “Large and Small Dragonflies” by talented artist Debbie Flowers. The giveaway, valued at $150, will be on display at her booth throughout the event, where patrons can register to win — with no purchase necessary — until 4 p.m. Sunday, when the winning ticket will be drawn. Don’t miss your chance to bring home a wonderful remembrance from this amazing event.

Come meet Debbie Flowers at the 7th Annual Main Street to the Rockies Art Festival in beautiful Downtown Frisco, Co. To learn more about this and many other Howard Alan Events, visit www.artfestival.com, or email info@artfestival.com. You can also call (561) 746-6615.